Wichtig » will retire in the San Jose area, spent parts of six season

BARCELONA, Spain -- Neymar became the eighth most expensive signing in football history by moving to Barcelona in a deal worth 57 million euros on Monday, uniting the Brazil star with Lionel Messi in a formidable attacking partnership. Neymar signed a five-year contract with club president Sandro Rosell after choosing Barcelona over Real Madrid in an intense two-year bidding war between the fierce Spanish rivals. Barcelona vice-president Josep Bartomeu revealed the club had expected to pay about 40 million euros, but that "the interference of other clubs" inflated the price, an allusion to Madrid. Only Cristiano Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kaka, Luis Figo, Hulk and Fernando Torres have cost a club more than Neymar. Barcelonas previous most expensive transfer was when it paid 45 million euros (then $64 million) to Inter Milan for Ibrahimovic in 2009 plus sent striker Samuel Etoo the other way. Neymar, whose contract includes a buyout clause worth (euro)190 million ($249 million), laughed shyly when asked if he was worth the price paid for him. "No, but I am very grateful that Barcelona did what it had to do complete my childhood, to be with my idols," he said. Formalities done after signing his contract, the 21-year-old striker jogged onto the Camp Nou pitch for the first time in his new Barcelona kit bearing the name "Neymar Jr" on the back. "I am very happy, very moved to be a Barcelona player and fulfil my dream," Neymar told the 56,500 fans who turned out to welcome him. Neymar quickly made it clear that he knows that he will have to play second fiddle to Messi. "I want to help the team," he said. "I have come to add my part so that Lionel Messi continues to be the best player in the world." Neymars flight from Brazil arrived an hour behind schedule at about 1 p.m. local time. Decked out in black with sunglasses and a baseball cap, he took a chartered bus straight to Camp Nou and had his first photograph taken in front of the blue-and-burgundy club insignia. During the traditional thumbs-up welcome shoot Neymar stepped forward and waved over the mob of photographers to the hundreds of fans who had gathered wearing Brazil and Barcelona jerseys and chanting his name. He was then rushed through two medical tests and back to the office to sign the deal. Neymar later told a packed press hall that he had "followed his heart" when he opted to come to Barcelona and play alongside not only Messi, but the rest of Barcelonas playmakers. "Im very excited to have the chance to play with all these great players that I have admired since I was a child: Messi, Xavi (Hernandez), (Andres) Iniesta," he said. "Its a great opportunity for me to learn and evolve." Even before making it official, Neymars new teammates had given him their vote of confidence. Earlier Monday, Iniesta said he expects Neymar to become even better when paired in attack with Messi, the four-time world player of the year. "He is coming to the best possible place for him," Iniesta said. "Let him do what he does best, that is enough. It is great news that we can count on him. Surrounded by the people he will have here, he will get better and better. "Great players always understand one another. Leo will be make Neymar better, and Neymar will make Leo better." Dani Alves, whom Neymar said played a key role in persuading him to come to Barcelona, recalled the long line of Brazilian forwards who have triumphed at Barcelona, including Romario, Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho. "He will give us a Brazilian touch," countryman Dani Alves said of Neymar. "The others left their mark. I am sure he will, too." Neymar flew to the Mediterranean city on a private jet with a small entourage, including his father Neymar Silva Santos, that left Rio de Janeiro after the national sides 2-2 draw with England on Sunday. He will return to his home country for the upcoming Confederations Cup, which Brazil is hosting in preparation for the 2014 World Cup. Neymar led Santos on its greatest run since Pele stopped playing for the Brazilian club in the 1970s. He helped Santos win the 2010 Brazilian Cup, the 2011 Copa Libertadores and three straight Sao Paulo state championships, becoming the teams leading scorer in the post-Pele era with 138 goals in 230 matches.Custom Seahawks Jerseys . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. Wholesale Custom Seahawks Shirts . "It was nerve-wracking, but we pulled through," said Collaros, who threw four touchdown passes to lead the Toronto Argonauts (8-4) to a 33-27 win over the Calgary Stampeders (9-3) in front of 28,781 fans at McMahon Stadium. http://www.customseahawksjersey.com/ . All of the scoring came in the final 20:04. Lucic scored on a power play at 15:46 of the third period, when he tipped a shot over Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen for a 3-1 lead. Seahawks Jerseys China . Defenceman Yannick Weber scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Canucks breathed a sigh of relief with a 2-1 win on Saturday night. Cheap Custom Seahawks Jersey . Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked.SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Defenseman Dan Boyle retired from the NHL on Wednesday at SAP Center, where he played six seasons with the San Jose Sharks during a 17-year career.Boyle won the Stanley Cup in 2004 with the Tampa Bay Lightning, one of his four NHL teams, won an Olympic gold medal with Team Canada in 2010 and was a two-time NHL All-Star.Boyle, who played his final two seasons with the New York Rangers, retired as San Joses career leader among defensemen in points (269) and assists (201). He ranks second in goals (68) and shots (1,095).Boyle went undrafted, but he wound up playing 1,093 regular-season games and 130 playoff games during his career with the Florida Panthers, Lightning, Rangers and Sharks. Among defensemen, he ranks 31st in goals, 35th in points and 38th in assists.Coming out of college, I was undersized and overlooked and all that stuff thats kind of made me what I am today, said the 5-foot-9, 180-pound Boyle, sitting next to Sharks general manager Doug Wilson, with his family and many of his former San Jose teammates looking on.I definitely had a chip on my shoulder. I probably always will. Its just what makes me me, and thats probably what has allowed me to have the career that I had.Boyle signed with the Panthers as a free agent on March 30, 1998, then was traded to the Lightning in January 2002 for a fifth-round pick.Boyle said his career took off after a one-on-one meeting he had with current Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, who coached him with Tampa Bay.We sat down and I asked him, I said, `Can yyou please trust me? Boyle said.dddddddddddd `I know I play the game a little differently than most, I know it might be a little risky at times, but I know what Im doing. Just please trust me. Thats kind of when my true career took off. He trusted in me. I responded with what I thought was good hockey and responsible hockey.Tortorella talked to Boyle on a speaker phone during his retirement ceremony.I dont think you ever received enough credit for what a fierce competitor you were, Tortorella said. I witnessed it first-hand. You were the engine of our Stanley Cup team. We dont get where we go if it isnt (for) what you do at that rover position that you had, as far as just doing your thing.Boyle, who will retire in the San Jose area, spent parts of six seasons with the Lightning, playing 394 games and amassing 66 goals, 187 assists and 253 points.Then on July 4, 2008, Tampa Bay traded Boyle, along with Brad Lukowich, to the Sharks for Matt Carle, Ty Wishart, a first-round draft pick in 2009 and a fourth-round choice in 2010.He was like a one-man breakout, Sharks center Logan Couture said of Boyle. He could skate the puck out of trouble better than most guys that play this game. As a teammate he was as competitive as they come.After the 2013-14 season, San Jose traded Boyles rights to the New York Rangers for a fifth round choice in the 2015 draft. The Rangers signed him to a new contract on July 1, 2014. ' ' '